Window-cleaning platform



(No Model.) 3 SheetsShe )et 1.

H. G. WILMERLING. WINDOW CLEANING PLATFORM.

Patentd Jan. 5, 1897.

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WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

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(No Model.) a SheetsSheet 2. H. Gr. WILMERLING. WINDOW'GLEANINGPLATFORML Patented Jan. .5, 1897.

MIA/E8858 ATTORNEYS.

Tm: NORRIS PETERS co. wow-mac, wswwarcn. o c.

SheetsShee't a.

Patented Jan. 5, 1897.

H. G. WILMERLING. WINDOW CLEANING PLATFORM.

(No Model.)

' l/Vl/E/VTO/i .Jlezuy 6. ATTORNEYS.

m: uonrus 2ETER5 co wm'ouwa. WASNINGYON, u. c.

WITNESSES.

. the following is a full, clear,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. W'ILMERLING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WINDOW-CLEANING PLATFORM.

SIEECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 574,698, dated January5, 1897.

7 Application filed April 4, 1896. Serial No. 586,252. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. WILMERLING, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedWindow-Oleaning Platform, of which and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a window-cleaning platform orchair particularly adapted to facilitate the work and provide a safemeans for cleaning the outside of windows in tall buildings, theplatform being so constructed that a person'may safely stand thereon,and whereby the platform when not in use may be folded to occupy but aminimum of space and in such manner that it may be readily transportedfrom place to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and secure lockingdevice, whereby the platform or chair may be firmly secured to awindow-sill in an expeditious and convenient manner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indi catecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a central section through the improved platform or chair.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.Fig. 4: is a detail front elevation of a socket-plate used in connectionwith the plat form or chair. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through awindow-sill, illustrating the application thereto of a slightly-modifiedform of socket-plate in which a bolt is employed, the said View likewiseillustrating a portion of the locking-arm of the chair or platform, assecured by the said bolt in the said plate. Fig. 6 is a front elevationof the plate illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section throughthe improved platform or chair, illustrating a slight modification inits construction and Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through awindow-sill and the applied keeper, illustrating the inner end of thelocking-bar in position on the sill and in the keeper.

In carrying out the invention a platform A is provided, which ispreferably made of sheet metal, and at the front portion of the saidplatform a yoke 10 is constructed, adapted for engagement with the outerface of a windowsill B. The said yoke is braced near each end bybrackets 11, (shown in Fig. 2,) which extend from the aforesaid yokerearward and are suitably secured to the platform A. At the centralportion of the platform a center brace 12 is provided, as shown in Fig.1, and this 'central brace at its rear end is attached to a strap 14;,which is secured longitudinally to the under face of the platform, asshown in Fig. 3, wherein the central brace 12 is broken away adjacent tothe aforesaid strap, and the central brace is preferably supported by anauxiliary yoke-like brace 13, attached to it and to the platform, asillustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

At each side of the center of the yoke 10 a brace 15 is secured to thesaid yoke and to the platform, and the two braces are made to convergeat their upper ends, being connected by a cross-bar 16 near their upperends, forming a slideway 17 between the cross-bar 16 and the platform A.The platform is provided with a guard or a railing which consists offront vertical bars 18, preferably made of tubing, as, for example,gas-pipe, and a bottom bar 19, connecting the side bars and made of thesame material, and ordinarily the connection be tween the bottom or basebar 19 and the upright bars 18 is effected through the medium ofelbow-fittings or their equivalents.

At the central portion of the base-bar 19 a socket 201s formed, which isinteriorly threaded to receive a set-screw 21 or its equivalent, and anopening is made in the platform A, through which the said set-screw maybe passed, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In completin g the guard or railingabove referred to upright rear bars 22 are provided, likewise preferablymade of tubing, and these rear bars at their lower ends are connected bya similar base-bar 22, as shown in Fig. 1, and the forward brace-bar 19of the railing or guard is journaled upon the platform through themedium of boxes 23, suitably constructed, while other boxes, 24, areattached to the platform and adapted to journal the rear basebar 22 ofthe aforesaid railing.

At the upper end of each of the forward uprights 18 an L-fitting 25 ispreferably secured, facing outwardly or in direction of the sides of thesaid guard or railing, and in each of the said elbows a nipple 26 issecured, and an elbow 27 is attached to the outer end of each of theaforesaid nipples, which elbows receive horizontal bars 28, forming theupper sideportions of the railing; and owing to this construction theside portions of the railing extend laterally beyond the front and therear I uprights 18 and 22.

An upper back bar is connected with the rear ends of the side bars 28through the medium of suitable elbows or their equivalents, the rearuprights 22 being pivotally connected with the rear upper bar 20 by aT-fitting or the equivalent of the same. \Vhen the uprights 18 and arein the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, forming a support or guard forthe body of the person standing on the platform A, the said guard orrailing is maintained in its operative position through the medium oftie-rods 30, which are preferably pivoted upon the base 10 of the frontstandards 1S, and terminate at their upper ends in hooks 30", adapted tobe passed over the upper rear bar 2.) of the aforesaid railing, as shownalso in Figs. 1 and 2.

A keeper-plate G is secured to the inner face of the sill B, the saidkeeper-plate being embedded in the said sill, as shown in Figs. 1 and S,and, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 8, the said plate is provided with alongitudinal opening 31, which leads into a chamber 32, formed at theback of the aforesaid plate; but if in practice it is found advisablethe form of keeper-plate shown in Figs. 1 and 4 may be dispensed withand the form of keeperplate 0 (illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6) may besubstituted, and in this latter form of keeperplate a chamber is formednear its upper end, communicating directly with the front of the saidplate, and below the said chamber a spring-controlled bolt 32L islocated, which normally extends upward through the said chamber 33, butis provided with a knob or handle 35, whereby the bolt may be carrieddownward entirely out of the chamber 33, an opening 36 establishingcommunication with the chamber 33 from the front of the keeper-plate C,as best shown in Fig. 5.

A locking-bar D is used in connection with the keeper-plate C and theplatform A. The said locking-bar, when the keeper-plate C is used, isprovided at its inner end with a downwardly-extending member 37, aninwardlyextending member 38, and a downwardly-extending in ember 39 atthe end of the inwardlyextending member 38, forming an angular bight atthe lower end of the upper vertical member of the locking-bar, and thesaid bight is made to enter the chamber in the keeperplate C, as shownparticularlyin Fig. 1, while the body of the locking-bar is passedthrough the front guide-opening 17 below the platform and then ccthrough the strap 14. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.) The upper face of thestrap 14 is provided with teeth 39 ,which are adapted to enterdepressions 40, made in the locki ugbar, and at the central rear portionof the platform an opening 41 is made, through which the lower curvedportion of an eccentrically-pivoted lever 42 enters, and after thelockingbar has been fastened to the sill and attached to the platform A,as above described, the locking-lever 42 is pressed clownward,depressing the rear or outer end of the locking-bar D and forcing theteeth of the strap 14 into the depressions in the locking-bar, thuspreventing the platform from moving outwardly or inwardly, and as anadditional security the set-screw 21 is manipulated in a manner toengage with the upper face of the locking-bar D and bind the saidlocking-bar fast to the crossbar 16, connecting the front braces of theyoke 10, which yoke will be substantially in engagement with the outerface of the window-sill B. \Vhen, however, the keeperplate 0 isemployed, the lower vertical member 32 of the lockingba-r D is omitted,and in its horizontal member 38 an opening 43 is formed, adapted toreceive the bolt 34c of the said modified form of the keeper-plate.\Vhen the chair or platform is not in use, after the chair or platformhas been disconnected from the window-sill, or even before suchseparation has been accomplished, by releasing the railing or guard fromthe locking braces or hooks 30 the members of the guard or railing willfold upon themselves substantially parallel with and upon the platformA, enabling the device to be stored in a small compass and readilytransported from place to place.

lVhere the building-walls are of the same thickness, as in framebuildings, the locklever 42 and the set-screw 21 may be dispensed with.111 this event the locking-bar D is rigidly fastened to the platform, asshown in Fig. 7, and the central brace 12 is secured at its outer end tosaid locking-bar or to other convenient support.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- I 1. In a platform or chair for windows and likeopenings, a platform, a locking-bar connected with the platform, havingits inner end extended beyond said platform and of angular construction,and a keeper in the nature of a socket adapted for attachment to awindow-sill, having its interior construetion arranged to receive inlooking embrace, the angular terminal of the locking-bar, sub stantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a platform or chair for windows and like openings, a platform, acollapsible railing connected with said platform, a locking barremovably connected with the platform, locking devices adapted to attachthe platform to the locking-bar, and means, substan tially as described,for attaching the lockingbar to a support adjacent to the window oropening at which the chair or plat-form is to be used, as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a window-cleaning chair or platform, a platform, apivotally-connected railing pivotally and collapsibly connected with thesaid platform, a yoke attached to the platform, adapted for engagementwith the outer face of the window-sill, a locking-bar held to slidebetween the yoke and the platform, the said locking-bar being providedwith a serrated surface, a slideway through which the locking-barpasses, also having a serrated face for engagement with the serratedsurface of the locking-bar, the forward end of the lock ing-bar beingadapted to enter a socket in a window-sill, and a lock-lever carried bythe platform adapted for engagement with the locking-bar and to forcethe serrations of the said bar into engagement with the serrations ofthe slideway through which it passes, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a window-cleaning chair or platform, a platform, apivotally-connected railing pivotally and collapsibly connected with thesaid platform, ayoke attached to the platform, adapted for engagementwith the outer face of the Window-sill, a locking-bar held to slidebetween the yoke and the platform, the said locking-bar being providedwith a serrated surface, a slideway through which the lock-' ing-barpasses, also having a serrated face for engagement with the serratedsurface of the locking-bar, the forward end of the locking-bar beingadapted to enter a socket in a window-sill, a lock-lever carried by theplatform, adapted for engagement with the lockin g-bar and to forcetheserrations of the said bar into engagement with the serrations of theslideway through which it passes, and a set-screw passed through theplatform and adapted for engagement with the forward or locking portionof the locking-bar, being adapted to hold the said bar in engagementwith the said yoke, and adjustable braces for the railing, as and forthe purpose specified.

5. In a window-cleaning chair or platform, the combination, with akeeper-plate adapted for attachment to a window-sill, a platformprovided with an extension from its under face adapted for engagementwith the outer face of the aforesaid sill, a strap attached to th eunder central portion of the platform,having a serrated upper face, anda lockin g-bar adapted to enter at its inner end the keeper-plate, the

said locking-bar being passed between the in- HENRY G. WILMERLING.lVitnesses:

J FRED. AOKER, J NO. M. BITTER.

